That Blue Glow
May 15, 2026
Vintage stereophiles love the Marantz 2200-series receivers for a lot of very good reasons, not the least of which is the eerie blue backlighting on the tuning dial. And every once in a while, a customer will request that I give their Pioneer, Sansui, Technics, or other non-Marantz stereo that same blue glow. Here’s a Pioneer SX-750 that’s had the Blue Glow Modification.
Back in “the day” when lamp replacement was needed there wasn’t much choice about lamp color but with the rising popularity of LED lighting I can offer my vintage owners a lot of options. Most go for the “soft white” LED’s which are not nearly as “warm” as the original incandescents but last essentially forever. Some ask for the “clear” LED’s which provide enhanced brightness for showing off in a well-lit room. Others request good old-fashioned incandescents. I can do that too.
But that blue glow! It’s not a Marantz, but it sure looks cool!
